Pure in Heart
by GM
Summary: Buffy and Giles have the dagger of Arancor, but having it has caused unexpected complications


bufated4 ****

Pure In Heart   
By Maura Kelly and Gina Martin 

  


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SPOILERS: We've basically moved into our own A/U with this story. It begins after season three, and you might say it's our season four. We gave Giles a job, he really needed one, at UC Sunnydale.   
**FEEDBACK:** That would be nice, we always appreciate it.   
**SUMMARY:** Buffy and Giles have the dagger of Arancor, but having it has caused unexpected complications. 

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Fourth installment in the Fated Connection series.

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NOTES: Thanks again to all those who wrote and told us how much they enjoyed the series and asked if there was going to be another chapter. We apologize for watching six months go by and not realize that we did the last part in January.   
**DISCLAIMER:** These wonderful characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Productions, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television, the WB Television Network, we don't mean to no infringe on any copyrights. 

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Prologue 

The uncertainty of the summer changed over to the promise of the fall and the dagger of Arancor still had not revealed to the Watcher and Slayer it's secret. They had secreted it in amongst Giles weapons that he stored at home. He and Buffy had decided that it would be the most logical place to hide the special dagger, in amongst other daggers and various armament, hidden in plain sight as it were. The two of them would occasionally take it out to study it. But they also knew they had a long way to go to understand it's powers and the uses they might be able to put it to. 

Giles had also found himself employment. He had applied to UC Sunnydale for a teaching position and had been accepted. He had various degrees and it wasn't unusual for a foreign professor to teach in the UC system in California. Even though these types of positions could be hard to get, the attrition rate at the UC in Sunnydale was high. It had gotten around that more then the customary amount of teachers had died, very few from natural causes, who had been teaching at this particular UC campus. 

So Giles found it fairly easy To secure a position for the fall semester.   
  


*** 

So on the first day of classes at Sunnydale U Giles found himself standing in front of a class of eager faces looking down at him with expectation. He found himself frozen, almost petrified with fear, as he looked out into those sea of faces. He gulped realizing that fighting demons seemed much easier just at the moment than what he was facing right now. Looking around at the students he caught the look from a very familiar continence. Buffy smiled at him encouragingly having known somehow that he was quite nervous at the moment. No not somehow, but the through the link they seemed to be building up more and more. If the study of the dagger in the latter part of the summer had accomplished anything it was that their connection had started to grow much stronger. Next to her sat Willow also giving him a bright smile of encouragement. Clearing his throat he began to speak, having garnered courage from his two friends 

"Ladies and gentlemen welcome to Archeology 101."   
  


***   
  


Later that day Giles had found himself in his office. He heaved a sigh of relief realizing his first day as a Professor at UC Sunnydale had gone extremely well. It had also helped that Buffy, Willow and even Oz had taken one or all of the classes he was teaching. It had also been gratifying to find a number of other Sunnydale Highschool graduates in his classes and the fact that they were surprised and pleased to see him teaching at the University. 

Deciding to do some research as he waited to see how many of his new students would visit during his office hours, he had brought with him a number of tomes. They were the books he had found at Ethan's house where he had also recovered the Slayer's dagger. The mayor had collected a vast assortment of demonology books as well as books on the supernatural and a number of Watcher journals that had gone missing during the last century. Wilkins had collected so many that it was taking the Watcher much longer then he had expected to research into the possibilities of the Arancor dagger, the Fated Connection and the second dagger they had so recently found out about, the Devoncor dagger, the one belonging to the Watcher. 

Thumbing through one of the books he had brought with him, he gleaned nothing new as he scanned it quickly. Picking up one of the others he started to read some vague information in this particular demonology book it was from the sixteenth century and he realized as he reread a passage that things he had read before in of his ancestors book began to make sense. He hastily got up and checked his book shelf, yes there it was. Pulling it down and reseating himself he opened the next book. Ten minutes passed as he studied the old text. It would be the last ten minutes of quite he would have for the rest of the day. Immediately as he began reading the words, one of his new students entered and requested some help from him. And the rest of his day went on like that.   
  
  
  


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Part 1 

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Two months later 

Giles was glad to be home, it had been a long week . It had taken him almost a month to get used to working in a whole new area. At least when he was the Librarian at Sunnydale High he had more time to himself and more time to pursue his research, but his new job had stifled that. There was a lot more involvement in teaching then when he worked at the high school. 

He sat at his desk after pulling out some of the mayor's books. Books he hadn't had a chance to review for awhile, there was still so much research that needed to be done, but too many things had interfered. And his research on the daggers had been few and far between. Any research the group had pursued in the last few months had been about the demons and portents that occurred regularly on the Hellmouth. 

But tonight with no new threats in the offing as far as he knew and having finally got his new job on an even course Giles had promised himself that he would search through some of the mayor's stash that he had yet to peruse. He gulped down his dinner as he sat at his desk and began to read one of the books. A history by an old monk from the 15th century. 

Near the end of their century the exploits of Watcher, Tyre Frame, and Slayer, Eden Sinclair, read like a romantic novel. Friar James became more caught up with noting the details -- far too many details in Giles' opinion -- of the "Fated Connection' between the Watcher and Slayer. When the good Friar married Watcher and Slayer in 1499, Giles had stopped reading. Trouble enough on a normal night keeping his mind on his duties and not on romantic thoughts of his Slayer. He didn't need historic accounts, with illustrations, of his early counterparts indulging in such tender emotions. He had enough to deal with on his own. 

His eyes lingered on the sketch drawing of Watcher Frame and Slayer Sinclair on their wedding day. Just before the Autumnal Equinox. Frame and James felt the legal and physical bonding of the Watcher and Slayer would, because of the 'Fated Connection' enhance Eden's powers against a demon suspected to arise at the equinox. Tyre Frame hoped his wife would be the first known Slayer to retire because of old age. Quickly he started to thumb ahead, both eager and afraid to find out what happened to the happy couple at the equinox. 

"Was that a wedding picture?" 

So startled at the interruption, Giles tore a corner of the page. "Buffy!" 

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were so totally in focus mode. You didn't even "feel" my presence." 

"Yes, well we did learn one thing this summer with the dagger it needs both of us in "concentration mode" to work." 

She leaned across his desk , turning the book and thumbing back to the illustration. "Who are these people?" 

Giles forcibly ignored the scent of peppermint on her breath and cleared his throat. "Aren't you supposed to be studying your history text?" 

"I did. I'm ready for you to quiz me. But I'd learn so much more if you would just tell me what you know about Egypt, then I'd have more time to patrol." 

"It's not dark yet -- " 

She leaned on his shoulder and pointed to the book. "Hey, this is a wedding picture! In your Watcher journals?" 

"No, this is from a monk, one of the mayor's -- " 

"Is this a Slayer?" 

"Yes, Slayers have been known to be married --" 

"And this is her watcher? Ooooo, this is one of those -- yeah, here it is -- underlined. A 'Fated Connection'! Oh, tell me all about it." 

Buffy came around the table and sat next to him, leaning over the book. 

With a sigh Giles moved her head over so he could see the pages. In the last few weeks she had fallen into the habit of coming to his flat to study before patrols. Willow and Oz seemed permanent occupants of the dorm room Buffy and Willow shared, so Buffy found study and companionship more pleasant at Giles' home. The arrangement pleased him, of course. More time with Buffy was always a wonderful thing. True, he rarely got much work of his own accomplished. Buffy had always been a high maintenance Slayer and now proved to be a high attention friend as well. Much of it was his fault, telling stories of history or English instead of her actually reading the texts. Her grades were skyrocketing -- just as her high school SAT's had with his personal tutoring, but it left him lately little time to finish school paperwork or, more importantly, keep up on even the normal research as her Watcher. 

Half-heartedly he discouraged her interest, to no avail. Unable to resist her pleas, he told her of what he had just read of the story of Frame and Sinclair and Friar James their faithful chronicler. Their adventures were interesting, dangerous, instructive, and yes, also a love story. At age sixteen Sinclair married her Watcher and the 'Fated Connection' began, the first ever documented case -- the power they hoped would see them through the dangers of the autumnal equinox. It remained one of three documented 'Fated Connections' in known Slayer history. Several others were rumored, but not proven to exist. 

"So how do we know if a relationship between a Watcher and Slayer is a 'Fated Connection'?" 

Uncomfortable at the moment discussing the subject with his Slayer, Giles prevaricated. "We've been over this before. There is still so little documentation – with the discovery of the mayor's books we are at least finding out more detail. " 

"Well, then there is something in his dusty old books, right, Giles? I mean does it read like one of those steamy romances where their touch is like an electric charge?" She demonstrated by taking his hand and pressing her palm flat against his. Frowning, she closed her fingers around his hand. "If that's the test..." Her eye contact was intense because at the connection of their hands they could both feel a touch of something familiar pass through them both . .Buffy looked at Giles oddly. "Maybe a kiss." She moved closer to him, "Could it cause the power to increase?" They both sat there for a moment inhaling each others scent their lips so close, a slight movement would bring them together. There hands still clasped making the contact of the link they had been sharing on and off these last few months even stronger. 

Abruptly Giles pulled away disengaging their link , and valiantly trying to keep his attention on the book before him, cognizant of where this was leading and not ready to let it happen. 

Buffy looked disappointed by his move but cleared her throat as she asked. " And what about the daggers, where do they come into it?" 

"I'm not sure. What I've read so far in this book tells of a link that occurs because of some life-threatening dramatic event – or some heightened danger during which the Slayer and Watcher may experience some -- element -- feeling -- of shared power." 

"As we did the night we were investigating the break-in at Mom's store?" 

"Yes, but the problem is there are so few facts it is all really quite vague and -- and treated as myth as the daggers have been perceived all these centuries. " 

"Okay putting the daggers aside, what happens then ? I mean what does this monk…?" 

"…Friar James." 

"Friar James, what does he say?" At his reluctance she scowled, glaring at him with a pouting face. "Come on, you have to finish the story. We've come this far. No cliff hangers." 

Giles sighed heavily. He really didn't want to delve into this with her tonight and he hated losing the battles of wills -- even the small ones -- with Buffy. 

At her look he reluctantly capitulated "The second is a marriage ceremony performed by an appropriate religious authority." 

At Buffy's raised eyebrows, he commented. "You did ask, Buffy." 

"I know. Sorry, go on, please. " 

"Lastly is a personal binding ritual performed only between the Slayer and Watcher. " 

"Binding ritual?" 

At Giles pointed look, Buffy cleared her throat once again "Oh that sort of binding ritual." 

" Of course, the 'Fated Connection', Buffy, does not happen for every Watcher and Slayer." From the corner of his eye he observed her, leaning close again , her presence as always of late, driving him to distraction amid his feelings for her and the new link they now shared. "It's always been considered to not exist as far as the Council is concerned." 

Catching his eye she smiled at him. "But we know different now don't we -- I mean --well – the thing at Mom's gallery and the fact that I could feel you, even for just a little while, when you had been kidnapped by the Council. Interesting that my dagger has increased our connection." 

Giles looked warmly at Buffy, realizing that she had now totally come to accept their new bond. When he had first suggested the truth to her after the incident at Joyce's gallery, she had been adamantly opposed to the idea of their having a connection at all. "Yes it is." 

"But maybe we need something even more dramatic right, then your kidnapping? Though…" She looked thoughtful. "That was awfully emotional as far as I was concerned." Flustered she turned to the book. "So, don't you know the end of the story?" 

A deep breath helped clear the tight knot of tension in his chest. "No, not yet. I've been reading their histories -- Sinclair became Frame's Slayer when she was ten years --" 

"Then let's read ahead." 

Giles closed the book. "Buffy, your test tomorrow -- " 

"Is a cinch, Giles, chill. A love story has to be more interesting than the pyramids." 

"Perhaps, but reading this small, faded handwriting is quite a chore and I have had enough for today." In emphasis he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I might have time later tonight, after I grade these mythology quizzes." 

His eyes opened to find Buffy directly in front of him staring at him. Their gaze held for a moment, giving Giles a chance to take in every detail of her green eyes, smooth skin, soft hair and minty breath. Never had he known anyone as beautiful or wonderful. 

"Melisa Okimoto is right." Buffy's voice was quiet, nearly concealing the tease in the tone. 

Giles couldn't stop staring into her compelling eyes. "Who?" 

"Melisa. She sits across from me in your ten o'clock mythology class. Remember?" 

While Giles taught only six classes three days a week, he found it still difficult to remember all the faces and names. Of his new students. He had been pleasantly surprised when he found he enjoyed teaching, he hadn't expected too. But he also knew teaching could only be a temporary way to earn money until Head of the Department opened, or some other non-personal-contact occupation made itself known. His vocation, his life, was as Buffy's Watcher. Earning a living tended to be a severe handicap to his foremost duty. The position did, however, keep him close to Buffy, and that was his main intent while teaching at university. 

Casually Buffy popped another of Giles' peppermint Lifesavers into her mouth. After Giles' intimate encounter with Drusilla last year, he had been a compulsive consumer of Lifesaver mints. At first it was a psychological defense against the memory of Drusilla's taste, afterwards it became a sugar habit. She offered one to Giles, who accepted the treat before she consumed his entire roll. "She has the most absolutely deadly crush on you, you know, Giles." 

"On me?" 

"She thinks you have beautiful eyes." She trailed a fingernail gently over his eyebrow. Tenderly brushing her thumbs against his closed eyelids her touch was like scintillating magic. "And a cute smile." 

The nail traced a course around his lips. He opened his eyes to find her gazing at him with a magnificent wicked smile. "And I told her you didn't even know who she was. I was right, huh?" 

Giles recognized the pouting tone easily and couldn't resist the tease. "Why, Buffy, are you jealous?" 

Something elusive and furtive flashed in her eyes, then it was quickly replaced by mischief that reached her grin. "Don't have to be. You're my Watcher." Emphasizing her possessive claim, she scooted over and sat on his lap. "No body else can have you." 

This dangerously close he found everything about her intoxicating. Aware self-control was slipping by the second, he took his chances and continued -- encouraged --what could only be termed a flirting encounter. He dared to lightly rest his hands on her hips. She settled closer, leaning against his chest, her hands playing with the hair framing his face. Danger turned to extreme peril and he rested his head against her shoulder to resist the nearly overwhelming urge to kiss her. 

They were playing with fire here. As the Watcher, as the much older adult, he needed to be the one to stop the flirting, he should stop the intimacies and friendship that was way past the point of propriety. 'Should' being the operative word, he could not stop the cascading emotions plunging them into something they may bitterly regret. Responsibility and reason argued there could be no future for them. Twenty years her senior, his duty was to protect, train and nurture his Slayer, not fall in love with her -- not allow her to fall in love with him. Not that he could even dream that would happen. Buffy needed his support. She didn't fully understand what this intimate attention meant to him, how it ravaged his emotions to be so close, to be so tempted and never fulfill the hopeful wishes in his heart. 

A beeping sound startled them both and Buffy reached to her pocket and switched off her beeper. 

"This was one of your worst ideas, Giles. Mom has terrible timing and is always paging me." 

The beeper was something Giles insisted Buffy keep handy. As soon as his limited budget could manage they were upgrading to cell phones. For the safety of his Slayer he thought the latest technology was only sensible, but all had to be managed on his salary. Maintaining a California lifestyle for him and his slayer was financially taxing. Buffy's father provided an allowance for upkeep on her car and Joyce Summers provided funds for strict living expenses, but Buffy exceeded all those budgets and counted on her Watcher to help with the rest. Someday he would learn to say no to her. 

"It's well past dark, Buffy. You should get started on your patrol." 

Her arms wrapped around him and she hugged him tightly for a moment. Without thought he responded as his hold on her tightened. 

"Is anything wrong?" 

"No. Just jealously appreciating my Watcher." She pulled back, once more studying his eyes for a time. Breaking the near-hypnotic gaze, she stood and carefully replaced his glasses. "Can I come by after patrol and finish the Egypt stuff?" 

"If you wish." 

"Oh, no, can't. Tonight I'm staying at my mom's. She's fixing a late supper." 

"Oh -- yes -- Oz starts his, uh, monthly curse tonight." 

"Yep. So lucky me gets to stay at mom's for the next three nights. I told her they were fumigating our apartment." 

"I wish I could keep Oz here, but California builders do not include convenient basements and the garage cage is not ready. " 

"I know. And the neighbors are more curious. Too bad they're a lot more curious than at your old apartment." 

Giles grimaced as he helped her gather books. "They already pry about you." 

Buffy grinned and winked. "Did you tell them I'm your girlfriend?" 

"No I did not. I gave them no information whatsoever." 

Escorting her to the door, he held onto the knob, studying her, his mood abruptly serious. "Be careful tonight, Buffy. An equinox so close to the full moon could be trouble. I'm researching now --" 

"And I'm sure you'll find something important in those journals by that monk guy. Hey, I can be research-girl tomorrow after school." She ignored the frown and the negative shake of his head. "Mom will be working at her gallery tomorrow night, so you can fix me dinner." Beaming a winning smile at him, he knew he had already lost. "I'll tell you tomorrow what you should fix. Man, it's so cool to have a domestically talented Watcher. You are the best, Giles." 

With a wave she was gone, like a minty breath of clean air sweeping through his musty life. Briefly she swirled through his mind and heart and out again like a sprite.   
  
  
  


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Part 2 

Buffy left for patrol and then home as she would be spending another night at her Mothers'. The dinner together had been enjoyable. And before Buffy had left for patrol the two had done some more research together trying to find any information they could about their link and the daggers, for Buffy was just as eager as he was now to find out anything they could. 

After the Slayer had left Giles continued the research. He had reluctantly pulled out the Codex, something he had wanted to look at earlier but didn't want to do so in front of his Slayer. Too many bad memories attached to it. But he had a hunch and knew he had to explore it more thoroughly. He picked up the book and settling down at his desk he started to read. 

Yes! He knew it! Excitedly thumbing through a few more pages of the brittle, crackling pages Giles took a breath to calm his agitated nerves. Yes, his memory had served him right! Portents did indeed point to something nefarious and evil poised to happen near the autumnal equinox six days away. 

Putting the Codex down on his desk he reached for Friar James chronicle again, opening it to where he had bookmarked it he continued to read. The Friar might be loquacious with his descriptions but he did know his Watchers and Slayers and was a wealth of information on demon and Slayer lore. 

Prophesies, predictions and historical accounts of Slayers and Watchers came from Friar James' riveting but obscure accounts of life in the latter days of the 1400s and the beginnings of the 1500s. 

The Watcher Council had known only through marginal notes in Watcher diaries that the monk chronicled Slayer adventures. So the fact that Giles had found the book in amongst the mayor's books that Ethan had purloined was a tremendous coup and another mark against Giles should the council ever discover the new additions to his library.. Not that he cared. He was probably already condemned and sentenced in absentia. He expected retribution for his crimes against the council at some point, but for now they seemed happy with a 'hands-off' policy. 

The problem with the Friars' writings was it read more like a romantic novel than history in his penned exploits. Many considered his manuscripts near fiction, but Giles knew better, though in all truth his journals had not been seen by any Watcher for a least a century, thanks to "his honor" the Mayor of Sunnydale. Giles knew that somewhere in one of the later volumes was an account of James' encounter with a creature during the autumnal equinox at the end of a the 15th century. Relevant material Giles was sure if only he could find it. 

Perusing the next pages, Giles' excitement waned. Yes, here James seemed caught up in noting too much detail on the Watcher and Slayer personalities. At one time Giles found the near-biographies fascinating, then entertaining, then dripping with romanticism. After that he stopped reading much of James' accounts of his friends. Picking up the next journal he continued reading. Hah, yes, here it was -- a detailed account of events of the equinox six hundred years before. Sifting through more of the tediously fanciful prose on the romantic natures of Frame and Sinclair -- or more correctly Watcher and Slayer Frame -- Giles found the tale he sought. In one of his past researches, years before, he remembered something significant about equinoxes close to the turn of a century. Friar James mentioned the first of his suspicions of a new demon in the area, which was noted three days before the equinox. 

Two days later Frame married his Slayer. Blast the frivolous monk, the friar concentrated more on the romance than the threat of the demon. Frustrated, Giles went to another volume to cross reference. Soon the faded ink scrawls blurred beyond recognition and he glanced at his clock. Past midnight. No wonder he couldn't read anymore. Best to leave it for tomorrow. Six days before the equinox. Six hundred years ago to the night Frame and Sinclair were married. He was somewhat afraid to finish their story -- to know the details of what he suspected to be an unhappy ending with the first known fated connection. 

Checking the doors and windows and slowly trudging upstairs he wondered if Buffy returned home all right. The superstitions were getting to him, he knew, jumping at shadows and worrying too much about Buffy's safety. He should have had his Slayer call when she finished patrolling, he stopped halfway up the stairs, he could call and check, glancing again at the clock he realized it was too late to call the Summers house tonight.   
  


***   
  
  
  


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Heat. 

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Cloying, steamy heat pressed heavily against her chest. 

__

Like a way high sauna -- steam so thick she could hardly breath. 

__

Something hissed behind her. 

__

Turning, her foot caught on something . . . 

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Giles lay on a bed of mist -- he screamed in agony. 

__

A black cloud hovered over his heart and opened his chest to reveal a bleeding, throbbing heart . . . . 

__

"No!"   
  


Buffy shot up in bed, sweat dripping from her face, tears pooled in her eyes. The echo of her cry still caught in her throat, his scream yet lingering in her ears. 

"Buffy?" Disheveled, her mother's pale face peeked around the door. "Another nightmare?" 

Buffy nodded, fumbling for her phone. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Giles. Something was killing Giles." 

"It was just a dream. Buffy, this is the middle of the night! Let the poor man sleep." 

On the first ring the phone was picked up. "Buffy?" The familiar British voice was breathless and strained. 

"Are you all right?" 

"Yes -- uh -- fine. And you? Are you safe?" 

"Yeah, yeah. I just had a terrible dream." 

She could hear him catch his breath. "I know." 

Fear shook her hand and she stilled the phone against her cheek. "You too?" 

"Yes. It was terrifying." 

"I'm coming over --" 

"No -- no, Buffy, don't come out tonight, please." 

"But --" 

"No, stay there. I'll see you in the morning. After sunrise." 

"What was it, Giles?" 

"I don't know. Yet."   
  


*** 

Only minutes after six AM, Buffy arrived with donuts and chocolate milk in hand. After helping her put the food on the table, Giles was taken aback at her fervent hug, arms tightly clasped around his neck. Touched, he affectionately returned the comfort. 

"I'm so glad you're all right. That dream was so awful." 

"I know." He patted her back, reluctant to terminate the wonderful instant. Easy to forget the motivation for the warmth of the greeting, he lingered in the moment as long as she wished. Finally she drew back, scrutinizing him carefully. 

"You didn't go back to sleep, did you?" 

"No, not really." He rubbed the stubble on his face and finger-combed disheveled hair into place. "What about you?" 

"Nah. Kept the lights on till it was time to get ready." Her eyes were haunted, belaying the cocky words. "So, has this ever happened before? I mean Slayers and Watchers sharing the same dream?" 

Grimacing, he admitted it was completely new to his experience. Checking reference books for the last few hours revealed no mention of shared dreams. He pulled out a chair then sat down next to her. As with so many other events on the Hellmouth, they had stumbled onto another first. "I think it my be your dagger causing this. 

"Oh joy." Her sigh was deep and disturbed. Picking at her chocolate donut she asked, "so, do you remember yours?" 

"Vividly." Reluctant to remember the agonizing details, he realized she would not be the first to recount her dream. He cleared his throat. "There was a dark shape hovering over me. I couldn't move. A black claw or talon sank into my chest and removed my heart." 

Shakily her hand rested on his pajama shirt over his heart. He held the hand there -- it was an amazing touch of comfort and warmth. He wouldn't share anymore. The details of the pain that still seemed to reverberate in his chest -- the anguish of Buffy standing close to him watching his death -- those were details she didn't need to hear. 

"So, do you know of demons who rip out hearts and are dark with claws?" 

Reassuringly he patted her hand and moved away. Hardly inspiring courage or confidence thus far, he straightened and strove for a better image. "Not specifically. It's a bit vague so far. I'm working on it." 

She placed two jelly donuts on a napkin and pushed them over to his spot 

by the mountain of books. "Here, you'll need your strength." 

Without appetite he picked at the donuts and sipped his tea. Silence and donuts were somehow comforting between them -- normal -- something to be prized while living on the mouth of Hell. 

"Do you think we'll have them again?" 

"I hope not." 

"Do you think it's a portent? An omen? A prophesy dream?" 

"I certainly hope not." 

"Yeah." 

Buffy had experienced prophesy dreams before. Both of them sharing the 

same dream had shaken them badly. Hardly novel, but he understood a new 

dimension to fear as he contemplated that they might have seen a vision of their future.   
  
  
  


****

Part 3 

Later that day Buffy and Willow arrived for their Archeology class. As they walked in they spied Giles at the desk working on some papers. The Watcher looked up briefly, smiling and acknowledged his two friends then went back to the paper work in front of him. 

Buffy and Willow found there usual seats in the class and surveyed the classroom as the other students began to file in. 

"Oh here, she comes" 

"Here who comes?" Willow asked bewildered. 

"Melissa Okimoto, the flirting princess." Buffy commented disgustedly as she watched the girl taking her usual seat in the front row, as close as possible to Giles. 

"Huh?" 

"Gosh, Will haven't you noticed how she's always flirting with_ our_ Giles." 

"Our's? Willow asked amused at Buffy's use of the possessive when it came to her Watcher. 

"Actually, no," Willow looked down on the other student from her vantage point and watched as Melisa looked quite attentively at Giles, who was still working at his desk. The other girl seemed to be intent on catching his eye while Giles was totally oblivious to the student's effort. "Though I guess, she does." Willow continued. 

"Well, I don't like it." 

"Really, I would never have guessed." Willow teased her friend. The witch was pleased at Buffy's obvious jealousy, glad to see after all this time that her best friend was finally seeing Giles as a man not so much as her Watcher. 

"Hey, Will, have you ever read any of those books Giles keeps locked away in his study?" Buffy asked changing the subject. She suddenly realized she had shown more about her feelings for Giles then she had intended to. As much as she loved Willow, and always shared things with her, Buffy herself wasn't certain how to cope with the new found feelings she was having about her Watcher. And the addition of the link that she and Giles were now sharing had made her emotions even more confused. 

"You mean the ones in the locked bookcase with the glass on the front? That would be with the locks." 

"Is that a no?" 

"Those are his private, private Watcher journals, Buffy. Why would I read those?" 

Buffy shrugged. "In all your research have you ever learned anything about a 'Fated Connection'?" 

"Ooo, no, sounds cool. What is it?" 

"It's a Slayer thing." 

"Not like aspect of the demon again I hope." 

"No, this is way better. Like --" 

"Uh, Miss Rosenberg and Miss Summers?" Giles cleared his throat. 

Buffy straightened in her chair. "Yes, Mr. Giles?" The picture of innocence -- the exact opposite of anyone who knew her. The most subtle expression in his eyes acknowledged her ever-so-slight-sarcasm. 

"If you would like to join the class now? We will be in chapter three with the Norse gods." 

"Oh yeah, gods, I am so there." 

This time the smile reached his mouth and Giles struggled to regain his sober professor image. "Thank you."   
  


*** 

That night both went out on a short patrol circuit around the cemetery. Three vampires and a three-horned demon made appearances, but no shapeless dark void with talons. Well before midnight they walked back to Giles' where Buffy had left her car. The convertible red Miata was a concession from her father, who caved in for a flashy car out of divorced-father-guilt. They were both on edge after the patrol and Giles suggested a cup of tea to take the chill off the cool fall night. 

Buffy watched as Giles fixed the tea, having joined him in the kitchen. When the tea was ready Giles took the tray into the livingroom and they poured themselves a cup. He watched with his usual amused interest as Buffy proceeded to pour into her cup of tea three packets of sugar. As she brought the cup to her lips she caught his look and shrugged her shoulders grinning. 

After a few minutes of companionable silence Giles brought up the subject that they both had avoided most of the evening. They discussed the dream again. Each trying to decipher anything they could to help them understand what the nightmare meant and what might be going to happen. 

"It might be a good idea this time if we can try to get a better picture of what the demon looks like." 

"You think we're going to have the dream again?" 

"Don't you think so?" Giles asked raising his eyebrow at her questioningly. 

"Yeah," Buffy said forlornly. "I was just hoping…" 

"Indeed, but I suspect our nightmares have just began." 

Sipping dispiritedly, Buffy gazed at her Watcher over the rim of the cup. "I could stay here tonight." 

"Out of the question." His tone and opinion absolute. "Besides the obvious improprieties, there is your mother and she is expecting you." 

"I can call --" 

"Buffy it would be better if you returned home. Keep your doors locked and the top up. Call me when you're in the house." 

She impulsively snapped back more harshly than she intended. "Hey, I'm the Slayer. I don't run from big bad things in the dark, remember?" 

"I'm not implying that you --" 

"And since when do I need to give you a bed check?" She slid the tea cup away and leaped to her feet. "It takes more than a nightmare to spook me, Giles." 

On her way out Buffy slammed the door. She got into her car and slammed that door too. Mad at herself, not Giles, for her childish tantrum. She knew she had behaved badly and that Giles was only trying to protect her but she was only trying to protect him. The threat was to _him_ not her. She knew that. Her slayer instincts were screaming at her that it was her Watcher that was in danger not her. Starting the car, she pulled away from the curb with a squealing of the tires and headed down the street towards home. 

Disgusted with himself, Giles watched her as she screeched away. Just when he thought he had his Slayer figured, she came up with new and irritating angles to cause him distress. After cleaning up the tea he watched the clock and waited, pondering thoughts of tact and civility. 

They were both tense. His over-protective nature pushed against her fear for him and her natural independence and the two , Watcher and Slayer, frequently found themselves at this impasse. 

Next time, perhaps, he would remember sensitivity training before he overstepped his bounds. Fifteen minutes had passed and no call. She wouldn't call tonight. After sleeping on her irritation she would ring up in the morning and apologize, and their relationship would be back on track. Forget the Slayer's handbook. There really should be a manual on dealing with women.   
  


*** 

__

Breath. 

__

Forcing the air in and out of his lungs he fought for breath. 

__

A dark shape loomed over him, blocking everything out but Buffy's face. 

__

She stood nearby his left side. 

__

He was flat on his back. 

__

The creature filled his vision, his lungs. 

__

A claw with three curved talons swept out of nowhere. 

__

He felt the sharp pincers pierce his flesh and seize his wildly beating heart. 

__

He screamed -- 

Lunging up, Giles fought for breath, the anguish of death still spilling from his throat. Shaking, sweaty, he gripped his arms to stay the trembling course through his body. 

When the phone rang he moaned in misery, fumbling to bring the instrument to his mouth. "Buffy." 

"You're all right?" 

Exhaling a harsh breath he snorted. "I'm alive." 

"I'm coming right over." 

He could hear Joyce Summers' objections in the background. The phone clicked off before he could catch any distinct words. Shakily he wiped his face, pressing his right hand over his heart. It had seemed so real this time.   
  
  
  


*** 

When Buffy arrived at Giles place, she found him, already dressed and sketching something in one of his notebooks. 

"You remembered more about the demon?" 

"Yes, what about you?" 

"A little more," Buffy answered doubtfully. She didn't want to admit out loud to Giles that she had been so concerned for him that in the dream the only thing she could see was the creature spilling his life's blood. "I do know I saw a tail." 

"Yes, so did I and wings." 

"Do you think we have enough from your sketch to find out what it might be?" 

"I'm not positive, but I'm afraid we both haven't the time at the moment." 

Buffy glanced at the clock on Giles desk and realized that they both needed to be at school in less then an hour. "Well, at least if I'm late to my first class the Prof won't be too hard on me." 

Giles smiled at Buffy's comment understanding her need to lighten the mood for a moment. "Oh don't be too sure of that, I hear your Mythology teacher is pretty strict." 

"True, but I have an "in" with said teacher." 

Oh, really?" 

"Yup." 

*** 

It wasn't until later that evening that the two were able to get some research done. Hoping to find the demon that seemed to be appearing in both their dreams. They spent a frustrating evening going over various books, including more of the mayor's stash and still hadn't found anything useful. 

Giles looked at his watch, "It's probably time for patrol, Buffy." 

She glanced over at her Watcher, from the book she had been studying and shook her head in agreement. 

Buffy started to get up and Giles followed suit. 

"Where are you going?" 

"With you on patrol." 

"I don't think that's a good idea, Giles." 

"Buffy with what's been going on lately, I'm certainly not letting you go out there by yourself." 

"I'm not the one who's at risk, here, it's you." 

"Buffy we don't know that, all we know is that something is communicating with the both of us, in our dreams, and we don't know yet what it is." 

She put her hands on her hips, a familiar pose to Giles. "They're prophetic dreams Giles, I've had them before and I recognize the signs all too well." 

"Yes, I know but we don't know for sure yet. And I'm not happy about you patrolling alone." 

Buffy looked at her Watcher with a sly smile forming on her face. Giles recognized the smile as soon as it appeared. It was his Slayer's 'I'll agree with what you say, if you agree to what I want,' expression. 

"Okay, I'll agree to your coming with me, if we can take the dagger with us." 

It wasn't surprising that she wanted to take the dagger on patrol, she had been angling for just such an occasion to convince Giles that she should be allowed to carry it. The Watcher himself had been reticence about using the weapon in any defense because they really still didn't know enough of it's power to use it effectively. 

"Ah, come on Giles, it's Slayer's dagger, it can't harm me , please?" Buffy then pretended to pout. "That's it isn't it, Watcher doesn't have his, so he doesn't want the Slayer playing with her's. 

Giles laughed at this sally. "All right, fine, Slayer can go and get her 

dagger, and bring it along on tonight's patrol to play with, even if the poor Watcher doesn't have his…yet." 

Buffy whooped happily and dashed over to the weaponry trunk, hurriedly opening it she quickly sought out the object she was looking for, finding it, she pulled out it out reverently and gingerly, always aware of the power she could feel, thrumming through the dagger of Aramcor--to her the Slayer. The feel of it in her hands was something she had never experienced before. 

She heard a voice clearing expectantly and looked up from where she was still kneeling. For the moment so mesmerized by her weapon that she had lost track of time. She saw Giles' amused gaze on her. 

Buffy smiled sheepishly at him. "I just can't describe the feeling…" 

Giles returned her smile. "I know." 

Buffy realized he did, because as soon as she had the dagger clutched in her hands their link that was always there now, lingering somewhere in the background, seemed to kindle slowly expanding beyond it's usual limits 

"If my dagger connects us like this what will the power be with both daggers in our hands?" 

"Let's hope we get the chance to find out."   
  


*** 

The first two cemeteries they scouted turned up no vampires and no demons. By the time they hit the third one, Buffy was beginning to wonder where all the baddies had disappeared to that night. They tried a couple more of the usual spots that vampires tended to gather and still hadn't seen one. 

When they reached the park, Buffy sat at one of the of the picnic tables, Giles joining her. He was also beginning to wonder what was going on. 

"So, Watcher mine, what do you think?" 

"Seems to be awfully quite." 

"Yup", Buffy agreed as she pulled her dagger out of the sheath she fashioned for it sometime ago, hoping that Giles would finally let her use it while on patrol. 

"It's really odd, Giles I can't remember a night when nothing was going on, I mean usually they're some newbies at least to pick off, but nothing, the last time that happened was when the mayor was about to change." 

"Yes, the vampires do tend hide out when something big is expected. " 

"Do you think it's the equinox thingy you keep mentioning?" 

"Maybe," Giles commented looking thoughtful. 

Buffy looked a bit alarm at his expression as another thought came to her. "Could it be something related to our dreams?" 

Now Giles looked surprised ,"What do you mean?" 

"Well this demon we keep seeing, the one from our nightmares, maybe it's here and that's what's keeping them away." 

"Possibly, but it might be something else." 

"What," Buffy asked him as she slowly twirled the dagger around in her hands savoring the connection it gave her, to itself and also her Watcher. 

"It could be your dagger." 

Buffy looked up from contemplating the object, with surprise. "Arancor, really, you think it's power is that strong?" 

"I don't know. But it's the only thing that has changed since the mayor's demise, correct?" 

"You know that, either you've been with me on patrol or, me being the dutiful Slayer I am…" 

Giles quirked a disdainful eyebrow at that comment. 

Buffy giggled at his look and continued "… I give you reports on the nightly count." 

"Exactly, so where are the vampires?" 

"Hey, you're the brains, I'm only the brawn, you tell me." 

Giles sighed in exasperation. "I wish I could, but at the moment I'm all out of answers." 

"More research?' 

"More research.' Giles confirmed.   
  


****

Part 4   
  


__

Breath. 

__

Forcing the air in and out of his lungs he fought for breath. 

__

A dark shape loomed over him. 

__

Buffy stood nearby his left side, her dagger clutched in her hand. 

__

He was flat on his back. 

__

The creature filled his vision, his lungs. 

__

A claw with three curved talons swept out of nowhere. The wings from the creature beat a loud tattoo as he felt the sharp pincers pierce his flesh and seize his wildly beating heart. 

__

He screamed, but did not seem able to wake from the nightmare.   
  


A ringing sounded near his ear and he blessedly woke up. He was drenched in sweat and trying to catch his breath, but immediately grabbed for the ringing phone. 

"Buffy?" 

"Giles, " He could here the sob catch in her throat. "It was so real this time." 

Giles could hear the concerned voice of Willow in the background asking what was going on. 

"I'm coming over." 

"No, Buffy, it's all right, you don't need to…" 

"Yeah, I do," she hung up the phone before he could voice anymore objections. 

It was only fifteen minutes later when Buffy showed up at his door, Willow with her. Giles had thrown on a sweater and a pair of jeans. 

Letting the two girls in, they all sat down in the livingroom and Giles looked over at Willow in question. 

"You guys, have been holding out on me." 

"I tried to tell her Giles that it wasn't deliberate." 

"Buffy's right Willow, we didn't intentionally exclude you, it all happened so fast…" 

"…you were busy with Oz." Buffy continued. 

"Well, okay, I'm here now and it sounds like you need some serious research help." 

"That we do." Giles agreed whole-heartedly. 

" And sleep being out of the question now, why don't we get too it." Buffy suggested.   
  
  
  


*** 

The next morning , Giles found himself with some free time before classes. The two girls had already left for the dorms and their early morning classes. Having spent the last few hours trying to find the demon. Willow had promised to check her sources on the net later, when classes had finished for the day. 

Giles decided to pull out Friar James journal again. Though the priest was of little use in accurate research of this manner he still might shed some light on the peculiarities of Buffy's dagger or what type of creature they might be facing if the nightmares they were having were prophetic dreams. 

Giles needed factual information not the fanciful ramblings of a poet-priest. Checking another Watcher-lore volume, he found exactly what he needed, cross-referenced in two other mythological tomes. Illustrations of an upright, bipedal creature with wings, a long tail, two arms, two legs, and three wicked claws extending from each hand and foot. The snout and shape varied with two separate texts, but no question he had the right creature, a griffin. Seeking out a footnote on the most recent writings, Giles was surprised to find a cross-reference to a Watcher prophesy chronicle. Knowing that book was not one he had in his collection he realized he needed some help in researching the dagger, and the creature he decided to put in a call to Angel Investigations. 

Sitting at his desk, he picked up the phone, dialing the number. 

"Angel Investigations?" Cordelia's voice came out cheerfully and the sound of it made Giles smile. It was amazing to think that Cordelia Chase, the once self-involved cheerleading, prom queen had changed so drastically. The Watcher knew that her transformation had started in Sunnydale, but had continued and thrived in Los Angeles, when she had joined up with Angel. When Giles had heard that Wesley Wyndham-Price had also joined with the vampire to fight demons in LA he had been quite pleased that the younger, dispossessed Watcher had found somewhere to begin again. Giles had found out through friends in the Watcher ranks, that the young Watcher had been unceremoniously fired after what the Watcher Council had considered a debacle in Sunnydale, not one slayer lost to them but two. 

Giles knew he and Angel may still not be on the best of terms, but he had to admire the vampire for what he was trying to accomplish. Fighting evil to atone for his own transgressions and bringing into his work two people who always had so much potential and just needed to find that individual who could bring it out in them. 

"Hello Cordelia." 

"Hey, Giles, it's good to hear your voice." 

"Yours as well." 

"Everything okay out there in Sunnydale?" 

"Yes, nothing too exciting just the usual." 

"Oh, a demon here, a vampire there?" 

"Exactly, just the ordinary routine." 

"When it comes to, demons, routine is nice. Did you need to speak with Angel?" 

"Actually I needed to speak with Wesley, is he there?" 

"Sure, hold on I'll get him." Cordelia put him on hold and it was just a bare few seconds when Wesley came on the line 

"Giles, hello, what can I do for you?" 

"Wesley I need a little help on a research project. Looking through my books I seem to be missing the volumes I need and I wondered if you or Angel might have them in your collection." 

"Well, I can certainly check for you, which ones are they?" 

Giles supplied Wesley with the information, he wanted and hung up after Wesley promised to call with the information he had requested.   
  


*** 

When Giles reached home that evening after classes had finished he was surprised to see what looked like Angel's black convertible parked in front of his place. When he pulled in behind the other car the door opened and Wesley got out holding in his arms a stack of books. 

Giles turned off his engine, grabbed his briefcase from the back seat and alighted himself. "Wesley, I didn't expect to see you here." 

"I know, Giles but when I looked up the information you asked for, I found something, ah odd." Wesley seemed to stumble over the word. "Angel and I talked it over and he thought I should come up myself and bring you the books." 

Giles wondered what the other Watcher had found that was so disturbing that he had to come up to Sunnydale instead of using the phone. "Well let's go inside and take a look at what you have found." 

Giles had insisted on making some tea before they sat down and Wesley filled him in on what he had discovered. He hated to admit that he was still somewhat disturbed by the nightmare last night. Even though earlier today he had reassured Buffy that he was working on the problem and not to worry. The effects of the dream had lingered all day and the fact that Wesley had ended up on his doorstep tonight made the other Watcher tense. 

They sat down and Wesley immediately got to the point of the visit. "Giles I have to ask you first where you got the information you asked for? My understanding is that the works of Friar James are a myth." 

"A myth, yes, but if they are a myth , why is it that the footnote I asked you to find mentions this man's work." 

"That's what I wondered. I actually didn't have the requested journal. It was one considered to have been lost in the middle ages." 

"Then where did you find the information?" 

"You knew where I would find it, Angel had it. How did you know he might?" 

"I didn't know, I hoped. Some years ago when I needed the Codex, he came up with it." Giles told the other Watcher, thinking back to that terrible night when he had found a prophesy that foretold of the Slayer's imminent death by the Master. 

"You still haven't told me, where you got this book, that's not suppose to exist." 

Giles got up from the table and picked up an old book on his desk, bringing it back to Wesley he handed it to him. "The mayor after he died had a lot of secrets. This book was one of them." 

Wesley looked at the book solemnly turning it over slowly in his hands, not opening it, as if he was afraid to do so. "A book that we had always been told was only myth." 

"Yes, and who told us that lie?" 

"The Council." 

"And what do you know of the Fated Connection?" 

"Another legend." 

"That's what I believed up until last spring." 

"What happened last spring?" 

"Before I answer that let me show you something." Giles got up again and this time went to his weapons trunk, opening it up he took out the dagger of Arancor and brought it back to Wesley. 

The other Watcher looked at the dagger held in Giles's hand in disbelief. "It can't be." 

"I see you recognize it." 

"My God, It's the dagger of Arancor, the Slayer's dagger." 

Wesley looked at what the other Watcher held in his hands, mesmerized. Looking up at Giles he asked tentatively. "May I hold it?" 

"Of course." 

Wesley took the proffered weapon and held it in his hands with the hilt up. Giles watched as the expressions on the other man's face slowly changed to one of delight as he inspected the dagger. "It is quite beautiful, isn't it?" 

"What do you feel?" 

Wesley closed his eyes and concentrated grasping the weapon in both hands. He opened his eyes and shrugged.. "Not a thing. " 

Giles took the dagger from the other man, holding it in his hands, he savored the power he could sense flowing from it. But more then that he relished the stronger link to Buffy that Arancor gave to him. 

"You sense something though." 

"Yes, the feeling is quite remarkable." 

"I don't understand how did you acquire it?" 

"It showed up one day , in a collection of art delivered to Joyce Summers gallery." Giles explained as he handed the dagger back to the other Watcher, giving him a chance to examine it further. 

"How strange, that it would just show up like that." 

"I thought the same thing." 

"There has never really been much written on the dagger of Arancor." 

"Nor is there much on the Devoncor dagger either." 

"Devoncor?" 

"The Watcher's dagger." 

"You know it's name, how?" 

"Another of the journals, even older then James's journal, had some small information on it as well." 

" What I never understood, is why there has been so little on the daggers in the first place." 

" I suspect the Council has made quite sure that no information has come to light on either daggers." 

"I believe you're right about that. So you and Buffy obtained the dagger from the gallery?" 

" Actually, no, someone stole it from the gallery before we knew it was even here in Sunnydale." 

"The Watcher's Council?" 

"No, they didn't have it. Even though Travers was under the assumption that I had the dagger already." 

"Ah, yes, your kidnapping by them right before the Ascension." 

"Yes, since it was displayed at Buffy's mother's store, they surmised I had already obtained it." 

"But you didn't have it?" 

"No, I didn't even know it was in Sunnydale until it was stolen. Buffy and I found out later that Faith had discovered it before us and secreted it in one of the Mayor's books." Giles explained to the other Watcher. "And it stayed hidden until very recently when Buffy and I managed to acquire the mayor's books." 

"How did you get them.?" 

"Let's just say someone found them and held them for us." Giles equivocated. Not wanting to explain to Wesley the circumstances of how the Mayor's possessions had been taken by Ethan Rayne. Giles had promised himself he would eventually repay his "old friend" when the opportunity arose. And no one would deprive him of that pleasure. 

Wesley looked at the dagger again, thoughtful. "The dagger of Arancor, never appears unless a Fated Connection might be forming." 

"So the legends goes. At least that's how it was with my great-grandparents." 

"That would explain why Travers wanted you out of Sunnydale and away from Buffy." 

"Yes, I had begun to suspect his real motives after the dagger appeared." Giles confirmed but not telling Wesley yet any details about the link that had also formed between he and Buffy. It wasn't that he didn't trust the other man but it was all still so new to the Watcher and Slayer that they needed time to work it out for themselves. 

" I do remember Travers being very specific in my orders. He especially impressed on me to be sure that I cut off any ties between you and Buffy." Wesley told him, then suddenly smiled wryly. "But after seeing how the two of you were with each other I knew that wasn't going to happen." 

"Not likely." Giles agreed returning the smile. 

Wesley looked down at the dagger still held in his hand and after a moment got up and handed it back to Giles. He sat back down and looked up at the other Watcher sighing. "I'm beginning to understand what the footnote and the addendum section I found in the journal you asked me to bring, means now." 

"What did you find?" 

Wesley picked up one of the books from the coffee table where he had placed them and opened up a marked passage. "Here is the footnote I found." 

Giles took the book that Wesley had offered to him and looked at the marked page. He sought out the footnote that referred to the recent writings, he had found in the Friar James journal. Giles was surprised to find a cross-reference to a Watcher prophesy chronicle. Which Wesley also handed to him in silence. Thumbing through the correct section, his body temperature dropped and his blood ran cold. He knew this passage -- this prophesy -- every Watcher did, never dreaming it could ever apply to themselves. 

Three times he read and reread the scribbled passage that Wesley had marked for him. Three times the nausea built high in his stomach, nearly choking his throat in a wave of illness. Taking a deep breath he removed his glasses, covering his strained eyes with both hands. "Damn." 

Wesley watched Giles closely as he examined the passage. It was another legend in Watcher's chronicles, that Wesley had found for Giles, one that Wesley believed now possibly might come true. Wesley tried to banish the thought. It couldn't be possible that Giles was the Watcher who had been mentioned in the chronicles. Could it? 

Giles looked at the anxious face in front of him. Politely thanking Wesley for his research he handed back the book. "I was wondering, Wesley, if you wouldn't mind staying a bit and help me trace down the next part, so maybe we can understand the whole prophesy?" 

"I would be glad to help." Wesley agreed, then handed another book to the other Watcher. "Angel told me to give this to you and to tell you that this journal really belongs to you." 

Giles looked curiously at the book and was surprised to see it was another journal belonging to his Great-Grandfather. 

Giles took the proffered book and sat down at his desk and began to look through his great-grandfather's journal, Wesley took Friar James tome hoping to find more information on the footnote he had supplied to Giles. 

Reading the new journal by his great-grandfather Ian Sampson was disconcerting for Giles. Because it was the same information that he had known about his great-grandfather all his life but what this journal told of his grandfather's death did not jibe with the first journal that had been written and passed down to Giles. 

"What about the equinox?" Wesley popped the question suddenly interrupting the silence that had descended. 

"Hmmm?" Giles looked abstractedly from his research. 

"The equinox, do you think it has something to do with this demon, or perhaps the dreams?" 

Giles looked thoughtful. "I did think for awhile that the equinox was important but now I'm not sure. And the dreams may be tied to the appearance of the dagger. When you searched the information on the equinox what did you find?" 

Wesley looked seriously at Giles . "Well now that I really know what I'm looking for, the not so mythical Fated Connection, I begin to understand what I found." 

"And that was…" 

"Two of the Watchers were killed on or near equinoxes. The other Fated Connections I read about were killed at other times, no where near an equinox." 

"Which means the equinox may be just a coincidence and not the catalyst." 

"Most likely.' Wesley looked at the books spread around him on the table. " It still amazes me the amount of books that Angel has acquired and so many of them volumes thought to have been lost." 

"Yes, he does seemed to have procured, like the Mayor, some of the missing manuscripts." 

Wesley looked over suddenly at Giles. "Lost or deliberately hidden?" 

"I'm beginning to wonder." Giles added cryptically as he joined the other Watcher on the couch. "Did you find out anything more in Friar James's works?" 

"The Autumnal equinox did play a part in this particular Fated Connection. The two, Frame and Sinclair decided to marry." 

"In hopes of defeating the demon." Giles stated. 

"Yes, how did you know?" 

"It's the last part of the ritual, it would be necessary if they needed the extra power." 

" They did." Wesley read the information that Friar James had written out loud to Giles. **"**_ Due to a near fatal encounter with the demon which injured the Slayer, Eden Sinclair. To give her added strength in the coming fight they were married and linked in the Fated Connection ritual. As far as the written word on this subject they were the first Slayer and Watcher to encounter the demon, and the Frames did not know how to kill or defeat it."_

"The first we know about." 

"Yes, true now that we know information has been misplaced or lost there could be more that we are unaware of. " Wesley went back to reading the journal. . "_When it became apparent there was no way to stop the beast , the Watcher Tyre Frame ingested a quickly lethal poison just before his heart was ripped out of his body. Eating the infected heart, the demon died, saving his beloved wife."_

" Few Watchers have so literally laid down their lives for their Slayers." Giles said quietly. He understood the sentiment but had no desire, at the moment, to add his name to that list. 

Wesely looked uncomfortable at the comment but agreed. 

"What about the dagger?" 

" There is no mention of the dagger. So if they had it, they didn't know it's value or it never surfaced at that time." Wesley hypothesized. 

"In the 17th century a Fated Connection, between a Watcher, John Roxton and his Slayer Margurite Blakely confirms the dagger being in their hands before he died." 

"Where did you find the facts on them?" 

"Another of the Mayor's books." 

"What about your grandfather's journal." 

"You mean this one," Giles held it up in his hand, "Obviously the real one." 

"There was another?" 

"Yes, passed down to me and a lot of it fiction it seems to have been." Giles commented sourly. "Though the dagger and the fated connection were real, but how he died …" 

"What do you mean?" 

"My understanding, from the journal I have kept all these years, was that my great-grandfather Ian Sampson died a long time after his Slayer Arden Miles not before," Giles held up the book he had been holding. "But this tells me that everything I had read about the death of my great-grandfather was a lie. He died before his Slayer ,the same way as Frame was killed, a demon, which he identifies as a griffin, ripped out his heart." 

"If he was dead...? 

"Yes, who finished the journal or more importantly who added the false information and hid the 

original." 

"The Council?" Wesley insinuated. "What about the dreams? 

"Well, again it seems that only those who seem to have the Slayer's dagger in their possession have the dreams. " 

"So the dagger, does intensify the link between the Watcher and Slayer?" 

"Intensifies, yes, but the link has already been established by the Fated Connection. It seems that the dagger has to be near for the attacks to occur, which means that the Frames did possess the dagger but Friar James did not consider it's mention important." 

"Pity that," Wesley "And again the question is why"? 

"I don't know." Giles told him "But there seems to be a pattern emerging, not a good one either." He handed his grandfather's journal to Wesley. 

"Do me a favor read this one out loud. Starting with the fight with the de…griffin." 

Wesley reread the section of the journal Giles had requested. "Anything?" 

"Something, it just sounds familiar, I'm not sure." 

"Well the fight is quite similar to the Frames battle with their demon." 

"No, it's something else," Giles murmured a terrible realization filtering through his computer like memory cells. He quickly strode over to his book shelf and scanned the shelves. 

"What are you looking for?" 

"Ah, found it," Giles pulled a book off the shelf and bringing it over to Wesley he showed the other Watcher the book he had located. 

"The Pandect of course." 

The Pandect was a reference books for Watchers -- a volume filled with well-known but not all understood prophesies, legends, myths and fables connected with Watchers and Slayers. Almost as valuable as the Codex, this lore volume held information he had used before to save Buffy's life. He prayed it would help them one more time. 

Handing the book to Wesley he went over and retrieved the Codex, sitting himself back down at his desk, both men went back to the searching for answers. 

Seeking out book after book the two Watchers researched into the early hours of the morning confirming the data from the original footnote having finally deciphered the whole prophesy. During the cusp of the Autumnal equinox and full moon, a broken Watcher was killed by a griffin near the end of the millennium. 

Wesley looked over at Giles knowing he was the Watcher, broken off from the council that the prophesy referred too. Rupert Giles would dieWednesday night when his heart was ripped out of his chest by the chimera. 

"Giles, I'm sorry ." 

"Wesley, it's all right, it only confirms what we already suspected." 

"Yes, but…" 

"Prophesy has been wrong before, Buffy proved that by dying and being revived." 

"CPR won't work too well, after you've had your heart ripped out by a demon, Giles." 

"We will find another answer, because I'm planning on defying this prophesy too. To do anything else is simply unacceptable. Besides have you forgotten what happens after the Watcher is killed?" 

" All the Slayers followed their Watchers in death within a month or two, not one lived beyond five months." Wesley declared. "So, saving you will save Buffy?" 

Giles looked at the other man amused for a moment. "Why thank you, old man." 

Realizing what he had just said, Wesley amended. "Not that we don't want to save you." 

"You are right in one thing though. Saving Buffy is always preeminent." 

"Hey Wes, what are you doing here?" Buffy came up behind the two men surprising them. 

"Buffy, what are you doing here so early? It is early isn't it?" 

"Yes, I was going to surprise you with breakfast, since I realized no nightmares last night, so you know celebration time, but I see you haven't been to bed yet so that would explain the no nightmares part." 

"How thoughtful," 

"Again Wes, not that it's not nice to see you but is their a prob…? Buffy looked over at Giles uncertainly. 

"Actually Buffy…" 

"Wesley just came up to help me with some research." Giles told her cutting off what ever the other Watcher was going to say. 

Wesley looked at the Giles oddly. Surprised that he had cut him off. He stood up and looked over Buffy's head at Giles trying to decipher what he wanted to do. 

Giles just shook his head. Wesley understood. It was Giles right as Buffy's Watcher to tell her what they had found. He wouldn't interfere. 

"There's something going on," Buffy declared catching the uneasiness in the room, most of it coming to Buffy from Giles through their link. She then caught sight of Arancor on Giles's desk and went over and picked it up. 

"What, you didn't want me to see you showing off Arancor to Wesley, Giles?" she teased him. 

"I didn't think you would mind, Buffy." Giles sighed in pretended exasperation joining in Buffy's tease. "Even though as you constantly remind me it's the Slayer's dagger." 

"Yes it is, why don't I put it away, okay?" 

"Good idea." 

Buffy walked over to the weapons chest, opening it she pretended to put away the dagger, but instead of placing it inside the chest, she concealed it in her purse which she was still holding. Getting up and turning around she caught a look between the two Watchers, confirming her suspicions that something was up and Giles seemed to be keeping whatever it might be from her. That was one of the reasons she had decided to borrow Arancor, even though she and Giles had agreed to keep it hidden. Her link with Giles, which was getting stronger every day, became much more amplified with the dagger in hand. Besides Arancor called to her. She wasn't sure she could even explain to Giles, something even she didn't understand yet, but the Slayer's dagger, her dagger, belonged with her. 

"It's probably best if I get going." Wesley knew that if Giles wanted to inform Buffy of what they had found it would be best if he left them alone to talk. "I really need to get back to LA." 

"Bye Wes," 

"Thank you Wesley, for the books and your help." Giles told the other man as he escorted him to the door. 

Buffy watched them exchange a few more words, that she couldn't hear, and then the other Watcher left. Giles came back into the room and Buffy looked at him closely. 

"Are you sure everything is all right?" 

"Yes, fine, why do you ask?" 

"Oh I don't know," Buffy intoned sarcastically. "Call it Slayer's instinct's I mean Wes showing up here in the middle of the night, something must be up." 

Giles looked at her for a long moment not saying anything. A battle waged within him. He desperately wanted to tell her what they had found out. But not now and not yet. Oddly enough he was hoping to find a way out of the situation, a way around the prophesy. He knew he was grasping at straws, but for the moment that was all he had. "Don't you have a class soon?" 

Buffy looked surprised for a second, knowing that wasn't what she expected him to say, she had felt the indecision from him a moment ago. Shifting gears she looked over at the clock, "Soon, yeah, what about breakfast first?"   
  


****

Part 5 

After Buffy had left for school. Giles decided a shower and change would help him relax, before he went back to some more research. He still had a few hours before his classes started on this particular day. So he sat down with a cup of tea and feeling much more the thing, he began the painstaking work of going over again what he and Wesley had researched last night. Hoping to find some loophole that would point the prophesy in another direction. 

Going though the worn pages of the Codex one more time he started to reread the section he sought. He picked up his glasses from his desk where he had put them down a moment ago, in frustration. In the last few hours he had found nothing that would help him and as he reread it over and over again his heart sank deeper in anguish. Slamming his fist against the pages he cried out in anger and torment. After all they had been through why this --why now? How could Fate be so cruel? Hurling the book across the room he sank to his knees, pounding the carpet until his hands ached. Falling back against the wall he wiped his face, breathing deeply, regaining control of tattered nerves -- reactions of helplessness he had been holding in since last night while in the presence of the other Watcher.   
  
  
  


*** 

Wesley drove carefully, as was his habit, and headed out of Sunnydale. There was much he had learned last night and more to think about. He wondered what he should tell Angel when he got back to the office. 

When he reached LA he stopped off at his apartment to change and shower before going into the office. He walked in the front door of Angel Investigations and found Cordelia as usual at her desk.. 

"Hey Wesley, Angel's been looking for you." 

"I just got back from Sunnydale." 

"Yeah, I know, he kept asking me when you were returning, like I'd know." Cordelia complained good naturedly. "He wanted to see you as soon as you got back." 

"Where is he?" 

"Downstairs," Cordelia informed him. "How's everybody in Sunnydale?" 

"Fine," Wesley told her heading down the hall. He didn't bother with the elevator taking the stairs instead down to Angel's apartment. He found the vampire in the living area poring over a book. 

"Angel?" 

"Wesley, how'd it go?" 

"Not well." He sat down in the chair across from his boss. "What do you know of the Fated Connection?" 

Instead of answering Wesley's question Angel asked one of his won. "Do they have the dagger?" 

"Yes, they do…but how?" Wesley looked stunned at the vampire's query. "You knew." 

"What do you mean?" 

"You knew what we would find, you knew about the prophesy?" 

"I… wasn't sure." Angel murmured looking distressed. 

"We are going to help them." 

Angel turned away from the Watcher not wanting to meet his eyes. "We can't help them. I can't help them, even if I wanted too." 

"Why? I don't understand?" Wesley was irate "I realize you most likely feel some resentment towards Giles and what is obviously occurring, between he and Buffy because of that connection ,but…" 

"That's not the reason." Angel turned back to look at the other man. "Besides, I suspect you have already discovered the fact that Slayers of a Fated Connection die not too long after their Watchers." 

"Angel, you do know more then you are saying." 

"I would never allow Giles to die because of pique." Angel continued as if Wesley had not spoken "He's too important to Buffy. Let alone, our recent history aside, I consider Rupert one of my few friends." 

"Then why, Angel?" 

"Wesley you have to trust me when I tell you we can't interfere in what may happen in the next two days." 

"Then Giles will die, Angel, and Buffy with him if we don't help them." 

"You have to understand Wesley, if we intercede they will never be free." 

"No, I do not understand, vampire, and I believed I could trust you." Wesley spat out as he quickly turned and took the stairs two at time. Angel faintly heard Cordelia asking Wesley what the matter was before he heard the front door slam. 

Angel sat back down, on the couch, drained, and morose, knowing that whatever happened in the next few days in Sunnydale could change all their all their lives.   
  


*** 

Buffy sat through English Lit, without paying any attention to what the Professor was saying. Besides taking Arancor, she had concealed the journal of Friar James in her purse when she had been at Giles' that morning. 

Giles was being way to tight-lipped on what had occurred to the Watcher and Slayer he had told her so much about recently. She was determined to find out what had happened to them. Giles had stopped telling her about them soon after the dreams had started. She suspected that the key to those nightmares were somewhere in the pages of the journal. 

She opened the book toward the end knowing instinctively she wasn't going to like what she found. 

…_fatal encounter with the demon had injured the Slayer, Eden Sinclair. To give her added strength in the coming fight they were married and linked in the Fated Connection ritual…. demon the Frames did not know how to kill it. When it became apparent there was no way to stop the fiend, Tyre Frame had ingested a quickly lethal poison just before his heart was ripped out of his body. Eating the infected heart, the demon died, saving his beloved wife. Few Watchers had so literally laid down their lives for their Slayers._

Buffy stopped reading, feeling physically sick at what she had found. She quickly got up from her desk and hurried out of the classroom, not caring if she disrupted the class. All she knew was she had to get out of there. She almost wished she hadn't read what had happened to the Frames. She found herself outside of the classroom leaning against the wall, she slid down and just sat there on the ground trying to quell her rolling stomach. 

"Buffy, are you okay?" 

She looked up to see, Willow standing there looking at her with concern. She should have known that Willow would have followed her outside, when she saw her leave. 

"Will…ah, I'm…a… I wasn't feeling very well." 

Willow slid down beside her. "What's wrong?" 

Instead of telling her Buffy handed her the journal, which she still had clutched in her hand and pointed her to the page that she had just read. 

Willow quickly scanned the page and turned to Buffy in horror. "Oh, Buffy that's awful."   
  


*** 

__

Hot 

__

Breath. 

__

Forcing the air in and out of his lungs he fought for breath. 

__

The dark shape loomed over him. 

__

The wings from the creature beat a loud tattoo, the sound deafening. 

__

He was flat on his back. 

__

.He could feel the talons tearing into his chest. 

__

The pain of it was overwhelming. His breathes came fast and furious. 

__

He felt like he was drowning as blood filled his lungs, 

__

He could feel his lifeblood begin to drain away and knew he was going to die. 

__

The griffin, tore into his chest extracting his still beating heart 

__

In the peripheral of his vision he saw Buffy's face 

__

She had the dagger clutched in her hands and he could see it glowing as if it were on fire, as she held it.   
  


*** 

When Buffy unlocked the front door Giles was there to meet her. Flying into his open arms she hugged him close for long moments, whispering entireties, swaying slightly as they held each other. 

"They've become so real, Giles." 

"I know." Drawing a shaky breath, he steered her over to the sofa. Sitting nearly atop each other, she kept her arms around his neck. He delicately brushed her cheek. "It's very difficult, I know, but it will soon be over." 

At his shaky words she pressed her left hand on his heart. Unable to bear the tenderness, he pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair. Her tears soaked through his shirt to his skin. His trembling whispers barely audible he comforted and pleaded, his words trailing away to soft kisses on her neck and cheek which he didn't notice until he had indulged in far too many kisses. Finally calmed, he pulled away and they rested in each other's arms, her hand still pressed over his heart. 

"I'm going to kill it, Giles. I can --" 

"Buffy , we don't even know if it's real, we've only seen this creature in our dreams." 

"You know it's real Giles, and it kills Watchers." 

"How do you know that?" 

"I borrowed Friar James's journal today, I read what happened to Eden's Watcher, Giles, it was horrible." 

"Oh, Buffy, I'm sorry I didn't want you to find out that way." 

"I'm the Slayer, Giles, you can't protect me from it all, even if you wanted too, it's my job" Buffy stopped her words, feeling . . . . "You know something." Not a question, a statement. 

Looking into her beautiful eyes he wanted to lie. Too many times in the 

past there were lies between them -- misguided attempts to protect each other. The good intentions invariably backfired and left distrust and bitter recriminations behind. Could he deceive her again? No, not even to keep her safe. Too much was between them, he could no longer lie to her. 

Giles pulled himself out of her grasp. He walked a distance away from her to leave her presence, to think straight, he was also still overwhelmed by the latest nightmare they had both just been through. Giles turned around and looked at her "Wesley and I found a prophesy." 

Shaking her head, she closed her eyes. "No." 

Hurrying back to her he pulled her close again. He kissed her forehead. Hardening his voice, his heart, his tone was harsh, grating and agonized. "Not you. You'll be safe." 

Eyes snapping open, they instantly widened in horror. "No!" 

He crushed her to his chest. "It's not what I want --" 

"We can change it! I defied my prophesy!" She squeezed him so tight he 

could hardly breath. "I won't let you die, I promise." 

"We'll do our best." His whispered words trailed along her ear and up her hairline. "I don't have any desire to die, believe me, Buffy. But if the worst --" 

Defiantly she pulled away. "No!" 

Pressing his fingers against her lips he finished. "We'll fight this the best we can, Buffy, but there's always the possibility we won't win this time. You must be prepared --to do whatever you have to do to kill it. If it -- uh -- kills me, Buffy. You will have to destroy it or it could destroy you." 

Pushing his hand away she crossed the room and glared at him in anger, her retort a whipping lash of frustrated wrath. "You promised me you would never leave me, Giles. Don't you dare break that promise!" Hotly she wiped tears from her vulnerable face. "You better find a way of killing this beast , cause I'm holding you to your promise!" 

Still crying and defiant she slammed the door behind her when she left. 

"Bloody hell." Rupert snarled after her dramatic exit. 

The squeal of her tires out of the driveway echoed in the quiet morning air. Through the window he watched her leave, concerned more for danger on the highway than any demon.. Musty-gray light tinged the sky. Nearly dawn. Giles still had a few hours to find some kind of loophole to save his life. 

Being Tuesday, and near to the winter break there were no more classes, until after the first of the year. That gave him all day and night to concentrate on his task. Already his mind sorted through possible reference works that might help. First, he would brew a very large pot of tea.   
  


****

Part 6 

Buffy still upset, stormed into the dorm room she and Willow shared. 

Willow popped up anxiously, "Is Giles all right?" 

"Buffy came over and sat down on the edge of Willow's bed close to her. 

"Oh, Will." Buffy started to cry alarming Willow. 

"Giles is all right isn't he?" 

Buffy swallowed and tried to talk over her tears. "For the moment." 

"What do you mean for the moment?" 

"He found a prophesy." 

"Oh no, about you again?" 

"No, no, it's him, the prophesy is about him." 

"What kind of prophesy." 

"You know the story, I showed you yesterday, about the Watcher who was killed by a demon." 

"Yes, that was so awfully tragic." 

"I know," Buffy concluded dejectedly. "And now that's what's going to happen to Giles, the same thing, some demon is going to tear out his heart." 

Willow looked stunned. "Buffy…there has to be something we can do." 

"I know, but what?" Buffy asked as she pulled Arancor out of it's scabbard, always now aware of it's presence she looked at it darkly. "Maybe it's my dagger that's causing all this trouble." 

"What makes you say that?" Willow questioned looking at the shimmering weapon in Buffy's hand, still marveling at it's beauty. 

"I don't know, it's seems to be the only thing that is new in our lives." Buffy said abstractedly as she found herself once again mesmerized by the elegance of Arancor. 

Willow watched her friend with concern, as she seemed to be totally bewitched by the weapon. 

"Buffy,… Buffy?" Willow called louder trying to pull the Slayer out of her total focus on the dagger. 

"What?" 

"I'm beginning to think you're right. Maybe it is the dagger, causing all the trouble." 

"Why do you say that?" 

"Why? Because you went completely zombie on me, when you started to gaze at it." 

"It's okay, Will." Buffy looked serenely at her friend, "I just need to go and see Giles." 

"O…kay," Willow said bewildered at her sudden change in mood, "Will you be back later?" 

"Yup, I'll see you later tonight." 

__

*** 

Because of her conversation with Willow, Buffy returned to Giles' house, calmer and ready to go to work. 

"Buffy, I'm very glad to see you." 

"I'm sorry Giles I didn't mean to run out." 

"It's all right, I know you are upset." 

"Giles, how many have there been?" Buffy asked her Watcher abruptly. 

"How many what?" 

"Watcher's deaths besides, Tyre Frame." 

"Five that we know of, one of them my Great-grandfather." 

"But I thought he lived a long time, I mean his journal said he lived a long life, right?" 

"Yes…but it was a lie, his real journal, which I saw yesterday, tells of his death after an attack by a griffin." 

"His heart was ripped out?" 

"Yes, I'm afraid so." 

"It keeps getting worse and worse." Buffy lamented reaching behind her and pulling Arancor out of its sheath. 

"Buffy I didn't realized you had taken the dagger with you." 

"I decided I wanted it with me when I was sleeping, I thought maybe it might help somehow with our nightmares and it's as if… I don't know Giles… it's as if Arancor calls to me. Wanting me to keep it close." 

"That would explain why it's showing up in our nightmares when it hadn't been there before." 

"Actually it showed up before I took it to the dorms with me. I mean last night was the first time I had it." Buffy told him as she placed the dagger on the coffee table. "Arancor is the key to this whole thing isn't it?" 

"Yes, Buffy, you're quite right it is." Giles confirmed. "Wesley and I found out during our research that the Arancor dagger was there in almost every instance of a Fated Connection and the death of a Watcher by the creature we know now is a griffin. The nightmares you and I share are somehow connected to the dagger." 

"It was telling us about the prophesy wasn't it?" Buffy comprehended suddenly. "It's not trying to harm us, as I first thought, it was trying to warn us." 

"Yes, I believe you're right, it was warning us," Giles looked startled by Buffy's acute observation. "Why didn't I see that before? The knowledge your dagger has imparted to us in our dreams has enabled us to be aware of the coming prophesy. We would never have known about it but for the nightmares." 

"You probably didn't see it at first Giles because you've been, pretty much occupied by those nightmares and what they represent, besides" Buffy murmured wistfully. "Maybe it would have been better if we didn't know." 

"No, Buffy," Giles came over and hugged her to him. "Arancor gave us a chance to be prepared, to find an answer, and to fight the prophesy." 

Buffy returned the hug for a moment, enjoying the spontaneous emotion coming from her Watcher. "I know you're right, Giles." Buffy told him, reluctantly pulling out of the embrace. Grabbing one of his hands she pulled him down on the couch with her." I need to try something, Giles."   
"What?" 

"Well first off I need your Celtic knot." 

"All right." Giles agreed and reached into his shirt pulling out the Celtic knot he had worn since Buffy's magic induced illness during the summer. 

Giles handed it over to Buffy and watched as she pulled her Celtic cross off as well. Both pieces had been once a part of the Arancor dagger until they had been torn off during a battle with a demon. 

Buffy placed both Celtic pieces on the table. She also put Arancor down as well, close to the fragment. Watcher and Slayer both watched in fascination as the missing parts of the dagger were drawn towards the weapon. The dagger glowed with brilliance as the lost pieces fused back into the hilt of the dagger as if they had never been apart. 

"How did you know?" 

"Arancor it sorta told me, it's,uhm, hard to explain." Buffy looked ill at ease at the admission that she had been communicating with what she considered to be an inanimate object. "I think it's time for patrol." 

"No, not tonight, it may not be safe." 

"I'll be all right. Your the one that's in danger here. Oh, there's a thought." 

"What?" 

"Maybe if you don't go outside at all for the next twenty four hours, until after the equinox, the demon can't get you." 

"I thought of that too. But I'm afraid the equinox isn't really the catalyst, it's the millennium. I suspect the griffin will be able to get me no matter where I am." 

"Oh," Buffy sighed unhappily. "I thought we had the answer." 

"I think you've given us the answer Buffy, but not the one you think." 

"I have? How?" 

"Your dagger, I've noticed recently that you call it Arancor, as if it were more then just a weapon." 

Buffy looked distressed and for a moment, she wasn't sure she wanted to admit, even to Giles, how important the dagger had become. "To me it isn't just a weapon anymore, it's more as if it completes me, somehow, I don't know Giles, it's soo hard to explain." 

"Buffy you don't have too, I think I'm beginning to understand. My guess is," Giles sighed in frustration. "really at this juncture with everything that is happening we are in unknown territory, but I believe the dagger is here to safeguard the Slayer." 

"But what about her Watcher?" 

"That is the solution Buffy, Arancor, is the means to slay the griffin." 

"Our dreams," Buffy said excitedly. "That's why it started to appear?" 

"Exactly, but Buffy it won't be easy to kill, I don't like the idea of placing you in danger, the strike will have to be straight through the griffin's heart. A dangerous frontal attack, maybe it would be better if I…" 

"No, Giles, there's a reason it's the Slayer's dagger, I'm the one with the strength, you know the legend, one girl in all the world, yada, yada, yada." 

Giles quirked a crooked grin, "Yes, I think I vaguely remember it." Then he quickly sobered. "Buffy, even with Arancor, it won't be easy." 

With a nod of agreement, she gently touched his shoulder with the tip of the dagger of Arancor. "I'll protect my magic-man. I don't want anything happening to you. I just want you to be careful, please." 

"You, too." 

"I'd best be going, Willow's expecting me, tonight but I think It will be better if I stay with youtomorrow night. Any objections?" 

"No I would appreciate the company. And Buffy no patrol tonight." 

"Ah, just one circuit around the park?" 

"Humor me?" 

"Oh, all right, I promise, when I leave, straight home, no cemetery stops on the way."   
  


****

*** 

__

Hot 

__

Breath 

__

Buffy struggled trying to get out of the nightmare, knowing what was to come. 

__

She again was forced to stand on the sidelines and observe, Arancor clutched in her hands, 

__

Giles struggle with the griffin. 

__

It was terrifying, the wings of the demon, beat loudly, almost drowning out Giles screams of pain. 

__

Buffy watched horrified unable to move as the griffin pierced Giles chest and pulled our his still beating heart. 

__

The creature, having obtained what it came for, turned towards the Slayer, 

__

the heart still grasped in it's talons, roared it's triumph and with beating wings took off quickly blending into the mist. 

__

Buffy, no longer paralyzed ran over to Giles , crouching over his body, seeing his lifeless eyes staring back at her, she screamed in anguish.   
  
  
  


Buffy awoke still screaming, her cries alarming Willow, who had heard her struggling in the nightmare. 

Willow hurriedly got out of bed and went to her schoolmate. "Buffy?" 

Buffy looked up at her friend hovering over her with concern. "I have to go," 

"To Giles? Is he okay?" Willow asked fearfully. 

Buffy closed her eyes for a minute, concentrating on her link to Giles, he was there, as terrorized as she had been, but still blessedly alive. "Yes." 

"You want me to come?" 

"No, it's okay," Buffy assured her, as she quickly got dressed.   
  


*** 

Buffy, once again reached Giles's place in record time. 

Giles, met her at the door again, and swept her into his arms, he had felt her contact, earlier, as she had initiated their link to check and see how he was faring. It had been one of the strongest links they had achieved yet. Buffy felt so happy being held by him. She just wished they could stay like this forever. 

Six months ago she would have never dreamed someone could offer her such comfort and peace. Before the frightening aspect of the griffin, she was so busy being tough Slayer-girl she refused to acknowledge weakness and vulnerability. Building her defenses against Angel, against Faith and the mayor, she fought to be the strongest and toughest person around. 

Then her telepathic abilities nearly drove her mad. No one could help except Giles. In his presence and in his arms she found comfort, peace and strength she never understood before. Incredibly independent, she hated leaning on anyone else. Then, when no one else could help her, Giles proved her greatest ally. Most importantly, he found the cure, (until then, he had been the only one to control his thoughts enough to be close to her. When his thoughts did filter through his barriers, they were warm, caring, anxious, loving -- all consumed with her welfare. No one else-- not even her mother -- held such focused thoughts about her well-being). 

Up to then Giles always kept a very proper distance, careful not to touch her unless absolutely necessary. After all, she was a minor, a student and he the adult faculty member. Appearances had to be maintained. Mentally and physically, the barriers came down big time with her telepathy and they never completely went back up again. That was perhaps the best thing to come out of that painful visit to madness. 

Now securely cradled in his arms, curled on his sofa, she could pretend there were no monsters on the other side of the walls. In this moment only two of them existed in their world and she wished it could last a long, long time. 

She touched his shirt over his heart. "It's such a good heart. I would hate to lose it." 

To calm her, he half-joked, "My heart would be useless to it at any rate. It belongs to you now." 

Touched and a little unnerved by the confession, Buffy suggested he try telling that to the demon, but she didn't think he'll listen. Then she suggested, "Maybe we should try the 'Fated Connection binding ritual.. It could help, yes?" 

"Are you proposing marriage, Buffy?" 

"I -- well, what if I did?" 

"I'd, uh, say we'd need more preparation. There's a ritual that requires herbs and special --" 

She put a hand to his lips. "Giles, sometimes you talk too much." She didn't ask what his answer would be. He didn't volunteer a response. Her mind was working on a grisly thought. 

"You _do_ have a good heart, Giles. The griffin would really want yours." 

"Or yours, as a slayer your heart is powerful and --" 

"But yours is pure. Besides we already know, it's not me it's after." 

"No, not pure," His sigh was sad and heavy. "I am a tarnished Watcher. Broken, remember?" 

Patting his chest she shook her head. "You have the purest heart I know. Who else would protect me, or give up their life for me?" 

--- 

****

Part 7 

****

Wednesday 

Angel came upstairs from his apartment and found Cordelia, reading a fashion magazine. 

"Have you seen Wesley?" 

"Nope, did you guys have a fight or something?" 

"Or something," Angel told her as walked back down the hall to his office. Sitting at his desk he 

dialed the Watcher's number. It started to ring when he heard Cordelia yell at him. 

"Don't bother to call, I think he said something about taking a trip out of town for the day." 

"Oh no," Angel roared in disappointment, realizing where Wesley had gone. The vampire also knew that it would be much harder for him to attempt to get to Sunnydale before nightfall. But if he didn't stop Wesley from interfering the consequences might be catastrophic. 

*** 

Giles woke up suddenly feeling a heavy pressure on his chest. It took him a few seconds 

to realize that it was Buffy. They had curled up together on his couch and as morning came they 

had fallen asleep, too tired to stay awake anymore. But no nightmares had come to disturb their slumber this time. 

Giles looked down at Buffy, snug on his chest. She looked so young, so vulnerable, he still had to remember sometimes that those looks were deceiving, how much strength lay beneath that small frame and how much courage. 

Buffy opened her eyes sleepily, gazing into the green eyes of her Watcher, now so close, she could see gold flecks mixed in with the green. She smiled up at him. Content for the moment to be held securely in his arms. "What time is it?" 

"Around noon I think, maybe a little later." 

"We slept that long? There is so much we need to do." 

"We needed the sleep, Buffy." 

"Yeah, I know, too many nights with unwanted dreams." 

Buffy sat up reluctantly sighing , hating to relinquish the warmth of Giles hold. "I better head off to the dorm and pick up some clothes." 

Giles pulled her back down to his chest. "We have some time, why don't we just lay here for a little while and enjoy the peace." 

Buffy slid back down to her original position agreeing wholeheartedly. 

*** 

Buffy pulled into a parking space not far from the dorm. Getting out of her car she headed towards the building when her "spidey" sense, as she used to call her Slayer instincts, kicked into gear. She stopped, looking around, not really concerned about any possible demons or vampires, it was still daylight, but something wasn't quite right. The parking lot, except for a few vehicles, seemed to be deserted as she turned slowly around trying to define what was causing her uneasiness. Hearing a sound she spun around and felt a sting in her shoulder, grabbing at the spot she pulled out what she identified as a tranquilizer dart. Before she could even take a step, she fell unconscious to the ground. 

Buffy was unaware of the two men who came out of the bushes, one holding the tranq gun. They picked the Slayer up and opening her car, put her in there. One of the men got into the car and drove it away while the other man got into the van a third man pulled up in. 

*** 

Buffy hadn't been gone more then a half-hour when Giles sensed that something was wrong. The link that he shared with his Slayer which always these days hummed in the background was absent. Just like that. Buffy was there and then she wasn't. Anxious about the abrupt disconnection, he went over to his desk and picked up Arancor hoping that holding the relic would connect him back to Buffy. 

Before she had left for the dorms Buffy had insisted that he keep the dagger close to him. He smiled briefly remembering the short conversation. 

" I'm going to leave Arancor here for you, just in case." 

"No Buffy there's no need to…" 

"Humor me, Kay?" Buffy replied mischievously echoing Giles earlier words. 

"Yes, all right." Giles agreed taking the dagger Buffy held out to him. 

Closing his eyes Giles concentrated hoping for any link. Feeling nothing, he growled with frustration. The severing of the connection frightened him more than the possibility of the griffin stalking his Slayer. After all, the beast was after him, wasn't it? So what could have happened to Buffy? And with no connection did that mean she was dead? Injured? Unconscious? There was no way to know and it agonized him to imagine the possibilities. On the Hellmouth there were always so many nasty possibilities. Putting the weapon down he picked up his phone. Dialing Buffy's number, he listened impatiently as it rang. 

"Come on, please be there." Giles was just about ready to hang up when he heard the phone at the other end being picked up. 

"Hello." 

"Willow, it's Giles." 

"Oh, Hi Giles are you all right?" 

"Yes, thank you Willow, I'm fine, I was looking for Buffy?" 

"I thought she was with you?" Willow told him puzzled. 

"Well, yes, she was but she needed to get a change of clothes so she was heading over there." 

"When was that?" 

"About half-hour ago." 

"Half-hour, she should have been here by now." 

"Yes, I realize that." 

"What do you think happened ? Do you think she's okay?" 

"I wish I knew," Giles answered worriedly. "Do me a favor, Willow?" 

"Sure." 

"Call over to Buffy's house and see if she didn't stop there. I would do it but I don't want to alarm her mother." 

"Giles, she would have told you if she was going to make a stop over there." 

"Yes, I know she would have but… Look I'm going to head over towards the college. I might just find her automobile has broken down along the way." 

"Hey, yeah maybe that's all that happened." Willow told him reassuringly, even though they both knew that wasn't what had happened. 

Giles grabbed his jacket and car keys after hanging up the phone, and headed out the door. Leaving the dagger of Arancor sitting on top his desk. 

*** 

When Giles got to the dorm rooms, after having verified that Buffy was nowhere between his place and the school, he was pleased to find Oz, Xander and Anya present. 

"I called them, to help us look." Willow explained. "Any luck?" 

"No, nothing. What about her house?" 

"No she isn't there either." 

"What's the plan?" Xander asked. 

"Start looking in the usual places. Willow will you stay here, just in case, Buffy calls?" 

"Sure, but it will be dark soon, Giles." Willow said concerned. "And it is the equinox." 

"That's why we need to find Buffy as soon as possible." Giles told her understanding her warning and touched by her concern.. "It will be all right, Willow, as long as we find her." 

The others looked confused by the conversation between the two, unaware of the prophesy, that only Willow was privy to. 

*** 

Buffy woke slowly for the second time that day. This time though she didn't have the comfort of her Watcher's arms to hold her. She struggled up into a sitting position and looked around her. Her hands were handcuffed and her head pounded painfully from the headache the tranq dart had left. She knew the ache wouldn't last long but for the moment it seemed to have cut off her bond to Giles. 

Buffy recognized her surroundings, she had been in many of the abandoned warehouses in Sunnydale over the years and this was just another one of them. A smaller ante room perhaps, but definitely a warehouse. Whoever they were, who had taken her, hadn't felt that either she wasn't much of a threat or hadn't really cared. She got up and tested the door. Locked of course. A swift kick and it was no longer a usable door. 

Buffy cautiously moved out into the larger area of the place, carefully surveying the terrain, wondering if any of her captors was around. It was almost dark, from what the Slayer could tell, from the few grimy windows that she could see. At this point not caring, who took her, but only interested in getting back to Giles before nightfall, she searched out the exit, where she then came upon one man sitting at the door as if guarding it. She recognized the man, he had been with Travers the night Giles had been kidnapped. She boldly walked up to him. 

"Henninger, handcuff keys please." 

He was cool, she had to give him that, he hadn't even flinched when she had called him by name. 

"Damn that dart should have kept you out longer then that." 

"I have an extremely strong metabolism, but then as a Watcher you know that don't you?" 

Buffy gestured at the man and he threw her the handcuff keys. She was even more perplexed, what reason would this Watcher have for kidnapping her and then not seem that affected that she was going to just walk out of here. Buffy started to leave, then suddenly turned around and grabbed the Watcher by the throat, pushing him against the wall of the warehouse. 

"Why don't you tell me why you did this?" 

"We weren't going to hurt you, we just wanted to keep you away from Mr. Giles, for a few hours. That's all." The Watcher advised her beginning to show some fear when he realized he had a very angry Slayer confronting him. 

"Oh, my God," she cried in horror "You're deliberately setting him up." Hurling the Watcher away from her, Buffy hurried out of the warehouse. 

Finding herself in familiar territory, obviously they hadn't taken her out of Sunnydale, just kept her away from Giles. She jogged down the street and finally spotting a phone she pulled some change out of her pocket and called Giles's number. After she had let it ring far too many times she hung up in frustration. Grabbing it again she reinserted the coin and quickly dialed her dorm room. It sounded only one ring when Willow picked it up. 

"Willow?" 

"Buffy, thank God, are you okay, where are you, what happened? Giles and I have been frantic." 

"I'm fine, is Giles there ?" Buffy asked hopefully. 

"No he's out looking for you." 

"Oh, no, do you know where?" 

"Not at the moment, the last time I heard from him was over an hour ago." 

Buffy closed her eyes, trying to focus on Giles. She had tried it earlier, but with the effects of the dart still lingering, she had been unable to link up with him. She cleared her mind and concentrated, there, she could sense him, she could felt his startlement at her contact. 

"Buffy?" Willow asked concerned when she had being silent for so long. 

"It's okay, Will, I know where he is." Buffy informed her hanging up. Aware now of where she would find Giles, Buffy headed off rapidly in that direction. 

*** 

It was almost dusk when Giles came upon, Buffy's Miata parked close to Sunnydale's main cemetery. He was still regretting having left Arancor at his place. He would have been able to zero in much better on Buffy if he had brought the dagger with him. Giles warily checked the car before opening the door. 

"Buffy?" Of a sudden the link with his Slayer was back but before Giles could even absorb the renewed connection, he heard a 'crack' an instant before a heavy net dropped over him. Yanked to the ground and dragged away from the car, he yelped a cry through the thick cords smashing his face. 

"Giles! Let him go! 

The two Watchers, turned to find themselves facing a raging Slayer, they tried to wrestle Buffy to the ground but instead both ended up flying across her car for their efforts. 

Giles meanwhile was trying to disentangle himself from the net that the other Watchers had trapped him in. Suddenly the sultry heat, the smell of rotted flesh, the guttural growl of something inhuman hit Giles's senses in a staggering force. Frantically pulling at the cords he only peripherally noted the two Watchers being catapulted across Buffy's car. Blackness covered the lights, the stars and Rupert Giles knew an instant of complete, mind-numbing panic. 

"How about something for that awful breath, toad face?" 

"Buffy!" 

Holy water, which Buffy always carried, splashed around Giles and the griffin roared in agony, falling away from the Watcher. "Hey it worked." Instantly the netting ripped away from Giles as Buffy released him. She grabbed his hand and they ran to her car. 

"I'm going back --" 

Closing his hand around hers in an unbreakable grip, he stopped her. "No. You can't go face to face with him, he's too strong and we need Arancor." 

"Where too?" 

"My flat. To get the dagger." 

They sped away, Buffy constantly checking her rearview mirror. "You don't think he'll follow us, do you?" 

Nervously Giles kept looking backward. "I have no idea. Just hurry." 

Screeching around a corner Buffy smiled. "Cool. You're encouraging me to speed." 

"Only for tonight. What did you do with the those two thugs?" 

"Left them napping in the bushes. Maybe old hellmouth will have them for a snack." She dared a quick glance at her friend. "They're not taking you back to England, Giles. I won't let them." 

He squeezed her shoulder. "That is not our most immediate problem." 

"So Right. I want your heart staying right where it is. We'll get rid of the griffin first. Hey, did you get a good look at him. He was huge." 

Giles glanced up at the dark sky. "I know." 

*** 

Angel reached Sunnydale in the late afternoon. It had taken him longer then he had expected to reach the small town. Having to be careful avoiding the sunlight had caused no end of delays for him. He checked out Giles's place first and finding no one at home and Wesley nowhere in sight, he decided to try a few other places. It took him a better part of two hours track down the other man down. He found him in the main cemetery of Sunnydale. 

"Wesley?" 

"Angel" Wesley said tightly. "I knew if I told you where I was going, you would stop me so…:" 

"So you headed out on your own, even after I warned you not to intervene." Angel looked at the other man hoping to make him understand. "Wesley, I admire your desire to help our friends. I too, more than you know want to help them as well, but we can't." 

"Why?" 

"This is so hard to explain, but I believe that there is a curse that hangs over every Fated Connection, and for this curse to be broken, Giles and Buffy as Watcher and Slayer must break it themselves." 

"Even if it kills one or both of them?" 

"Yes," Angel sighed regretfully. "To interfere will only prolong their agony." 

"Do you know how to break this spell?" 

"No, I don't because believe me if I did I would've supplied them with that information as soon as I realized what was happening." 

"So we just go home?" 

"Yes, it's the only…" 

Their conversation was interrupted by Buffy's screaming out Giles's name. Both men took off towards the sound, not thinking just reacting to the scream. 

When they reached the gates to the cemetery, they watched as Buffy tossed two men over her car and saw the griffin as it began to attack a netted Giles. Wesley started forward but reluctantly Angel held him back. Within a few minutes the two observers breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Slayer and Watcher eluded the demon. 

The griffin, ignored the two men on the ground and disappeared. Angel knew where it probably would be heading and to distract Wesley from that particular train of thought he looked questioningly at him. "I doubt the curse says anything about taking out a couple of interfering Watchers." 

"No, if you ask me I'd say they were definitely fair game." 

"That was my thought exactly." 

"Grand, shall we?" 

"After you my friend." 

Wesley walked over to the two men who were struggling to get up. "Well, well, if it isn't Jessup, and Kragen." Wesley sniggered. "I see you ran into the Slayer and her Watcher." 

"Wyndam-Price, this is Council business, I would advise you to stay out of it." 

"Oh no, I couldn't do that, and I don't think my friend here wants to stay out of it either." Wesley informed them as Angel came sidling up to the group. "By the way, have you met my friend? Say hello Angel." 

Angel comprehending what Wesley desired from him, morphed into his vampire visage, totally terrorizing the Watchers. 

*** 

The car screeched to a stop in his driveway and Giles raced to the front door while Buffy followed watching for any sign of the griffin, weaponless but nevertheless trying to guard her Watcher's back. Giles didn't even reach the door when the creature they had eluded a few minutes ago swooped into the courtyard The sound, smell and dark blotch of the creature flew past Buffy, hitting Giles and knocking him through the open doorway. 

"Giles!" Buffy ran over and realizing that she couldn't do anything to save him without the dagger, raced past the struggling pair and went through the door to retrieve Arancor. 

Violently kicking and punching, Giles fought back, struggling to crawl out of the monster's reach. With one arm the demon clutched onto Giles' chest, ripping his shirt to shreds. 

Searing pain on his chest was the only distinguishing difference between this reality and the nightmares. The dark, the smell, the cries of his Slayer were all the same. As sharp talons dug into his flesh Giles screamed in pain. The winged griffin brought his mouth down to devour the Watcher's heart. 

"My heart -- no power!" He beat a fist into the gnarled face. "My heart-- not my own -- given away! No power for you -- " 

The beast snarled in rage, lifting his head back in a cry of fury. Buffy swung her dagger catching a wing, and his claws swiped blindly at Buffy, slicing her left palm. Buffy drove the dagger through the demon's chest hilt-deep. When she let go of Arancor, the creature fell back , bursting into flames. By the time the carcass hit the floor it was smoldering bits of ash. 

"Giles!" 

Falling to her knees Buffy pressed her hands against the terrible wounds around her Watcher's heart. Pale, barely conscious, Giles tried to speak but energy failed him. Pushing hard on the damaged chest to slow the copious flow of blood, she wept, tears streaming into the ragged wounds. 

Under her hands she felt the heart stop before his eyes fluttered closed. 

"No! You have to live, Giles! You have to live!" 

Pumping his chest she raged at him to breathe again. She ordered the heart she owned to beat again. Panicked and desperate she breathed into his mouth, demanding he take her life as his own. 

Still-death yet covered her Watcher. 

"You have to live! You promised you would never leave me! You can't leave me!" 

Above the terror-echoed cries the Slayer heard the dagger call to her, as it had before, and she knew what she had to do. Buffy placed her dagger over the wounds on Giles's chest, closing her eyes she concentrated communicating to Arancor what she wanted of it. Arancor responded to her call. Glowing with energy she could feel it's power, she watched as it glowed under her hand. 

Under her left palm which still rested on Giles chest a beat thumped. Then another. She shrieked out a laughing sob as she kissed his face, hugging him. Belatedly realizing that was probably a bad idea for his body, she released him, moving her hand back to his wounds. She stopped cold. Where torn flesh had been a moment before, now only ugly red welts appeared. Tentatively touching the wounds, she felt his heartbeat, his warm skin. 

He was alive. More, he was miraculously healed. Amazed, she checked her own injury, and saw only a pink scar along her lifeline. Chills coursed down her body at the miracle the dagger had wrought. She didn't understand it yet, but she wasn't going to argue with it. 

*** 

Epilog 

Giles woke up feeling a pressure on his chest and started to panic, believing he was once again in a fight with the griffin. He begins to battle, until a well-loved voice whispers in his ear calming his struggle. 

"Giles it's okay, it's just me." 

"Buffy?" 

"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have laid on your chest so soon after the fight, it probably hurts, I'm sorry I wasn't thinking." 

"No, Buffy, please stay." Giles told her, pulling her back to the position she had been in when he woke up. 

"You sure?" 

"Most assuredly." 

After the incredible events of last night Buffy had helped a semi-conscious Giles into the apartment. He had fallen asleep awakening a few times in the night, panicked and Buffy had soothed him and he had gone back to sleep. His chest was sore, but the wounds had completely sealed thanks to the power of Arancor. The red scars on his chest were still there and Buffy's palm still ached and she still had a pink scar along her lifeline. But they were most blessedly alive and together. 

While Giles had slept, Buffy had found she was too wound up to sleep, so she had first put in a call to Willow to tell her that they had once again beaten prophesy and that Giles would be fine. Wesley had called Giles's place not too long after they had defeated the griffin and Buffy had assured him that they had succeeded. She was aware he had been instrumental in the discovery of the prophesy in the first place and thanked him for his help. 

Also while Giles slept she read the journal of his great-grandfather's, the real one this time. She was now totally fascinated by the Fated Connection and was eager to learn as much as she could. Giles had said that he and Wesley had found five documented cases. She would have to ask Giles to show them to her. 

The two of them were happily curled up on the couch together when the phone rang. 

Buffy groaned but got up to answer it. "Yeah, Hi Wes, yup he's here hang on." 

Giles got up slowly, still a little stiff, and walked over to take the phone from Buffy. 

"Hi Wesley." 

Buffy mouthed at him -Tea? 

He nodded his head in agreement and she went into to the kitchen to prepare it. 

"Giles, it's Angel, Wesley said that when he talked to you earlier, you wanted to talk with me." 

"Hello, Angel, yes I did. You knew about the fated connection, didn't you?" Giles asked the vampire. "That night in front of Buffy's house when we spoke, you were trying to warn me." 

"Yes, I suspected what was beginning to transpire." 

"How did you know what was happening before we did?" 

"I recognized the signs, I had seen it before I…ah…" 

"My great-grandparents?" 

"Yes, I told you I had been acquainted with them. I saw your great-grandfather slain by the griffin, at that time of course I didn't know or care what had killed a Watcher, but later after I had recovered my soul, I became interested in learning about what had happened." 

Giles sighed in frustration. "There is still so much to uncover, about all of this. We have barely scratched the surface in our quest for the answers." 

"Well, Wesley and I will keep researching what we can here in LA." 

"Buffy and I will appreciate any help you can give us." 

"So long, Giles." 

"Good-bye." 

After Giles hung up, Buffy brought him a cup of tea, she had a diet cola for herself and they sat next to each other in companionable silence for a few minutes. 

"We beat the prophesy, didn't we?" 

Giles grinned at her. "Yes, we did. And I survived a life threatening attack, because of Arancor." 

"Yup, Slayer's dagger certainly came through for us, but who would have thunk it was capable of healing. I mean was there anything in any of the written journals regarding that little fact?" 

"No, though we will have to do lots more…" 

"Research, I know." Buffy laughed. Looking over at Giles she hesitated, then tentatively asked, Giles?" 

"Yes?" 

"Do you remember what you said to the griffin?" 

"Yes, why?" 

"What did you mean?" 

He hesitated. If he told the truth she could reject him. But he had to tell the truth, she deserved to know now after all they had been through. No more secrets. And even if he had wanted to keep it hidden it was beginning to look like they wouldn't be able to conceal too much from each other, as the Fated Connection link became stronger and stronger. 

"That I love you and long ago surrendered all my heart and soul and all that I possess to you. For as long as I live." 

Frozen, she felt she could hardly breathe. The professed words of devotion were hardly necessary. Through their link she could feel his love -- had, in fact, felt it for a long, long time. That pure love was something that was part of Giles -- when he looked at her, when he talked to her, in the tone of his voice when he spoke her name. Now through their Connection she could feel it so profoundly, or perhaps, for the first time, understand what the depth and commitment of such a love meant. 

Trembling, her scarred left hand burned as she slowly brought it up to feather-touch his chest over his heart. The heart he had surrendered to her. The heart that she could, at this moment, utterly destroy with a word or a rejection. Her Watcher's heart that was filled with love for her. 

Pressing her hand against his heart she stared into his tender eyes and felt a tear trickle down her face. Was it possible to break a heart with love? That's what she was feeling inside right now. A reflection of his ardor? A responding love of her own? Elements of both? 

"I love you so much," she whispered, and in that instant knew the truth of her feelings, understood the depth of her own heart. As if pieces of herself had collected again -- scattered bits that she never knew were absent now formed to complete her soul. "If you have given me your heart," she shakily whispered, "then I've given mine to you." 

Tears pooled in his eyes and he gently drew her into a tight embrace. Uncertain if one or both of them were quivering, Buffy just held onto him, allowing his tears to dampen her hair. Once she had been afraid of the Fated Connection. Now she knew she could not live without it -- without her Watcher -- her other half. 

*** 

In a dark sealed room a man is standing alone, staring at an object. Watching as the article, he observed glowed, the pattern change. The surface reformed and emerged as something different. A door opens and a younger man rushes in, wary of disturbing the older man in the room, but knowing he has no choice. He stands for a moment not saying anything, waiting for his elder to speak. 

"Yes Richardson?" 

"Sir, I have news." 

"Rupert Giles is still alive." The man stated it -- not a question. 

"Yes, sir.' The young man looks confused. "How…how could you have known?" 

The older man indicated the object he had been observing. His voice rumbles in horror and anger. "Look at it." 

Richardson turns and sees what the other man is pointing to. He studied the relic encased in glass. It was an exquisite gold dagger and like it's mate filigreed with curly symbols and leaves. It shimmered even in the darkness of the cavern with an unnatural glittering brilliance, vibrating with innate power. 

"My god, the griffin." 

"Yes, the griffin." 

"It is no longer in flight, how can that be?" 

"How can that be?" the older man asks his voice vibrating with his rage. "Because we, the Guardians of Tandoor, have failed." 

"But, I don't understand, the spell, it has stood for over eight hundred years." 

"Yes, and for eight hundred years we, the Guardians, have stopped the forming of a completed Fated Connection , stopped the abomination of a union between a Watcher and Slayer, a melding that could topple the Council." 

Quintan Travers, turned back to look at the dagger of Devoncor, again, amazed to see instead of a griffin in flight, a griffin, impaled through the heart by a dagger, a ruby blood drop, sliding down it's chest. "And so it has begun." 

****

THE END


End file.
